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Featured Class

Watercolor
Date: January 23, 2018
Time: 9:00 - 11:00 AM
Length: 8 weeks
Cost: $8 members
      $10 non-members
Instructor: Avon Hall
Location: Game Room
Description: Not only is this one of our oldest classes, but is also one of the oldest art forms going back to paleolithic times. Watercolor is a painting method in which the paints are made of pigments suspended in a water-based solution. Watercolor refers to both the medium and the resulting artwork. Working with watercolors is difficult because with paint, it stays put. However, with watercolor, the paper and absorption changes the outline and appearance as it dries. Additionally, you have to be careful as colors can run into each other as they are absorbed, changing the shape and color of objects. If you mess up with paint you can paint over or scrape off the paint but in watercolor you might be able to partially correct a mistake by re-wetting and blotting making errors costly. To help you with this is Avon Hall, our Watercolor instructor. While Avon has no formal instruction as an art teacher, but does have lots of experience in art. While in the Air Force, and stationed in France 50 years ago, he took some art classes in oil painting and drawing. He did not take up watercolor until eight years ago, when he heard that we had a class and he was curious about it. Avon has won several prizes for his art, and has even sold some.

Featured Activity

Striders
Time: Dailys 6:30 a.m.
Cost: Free members
      Free non-members
Location: Meet in Dining Room
Description: This month we'd like to put the spotlite on a group that already shines. 'Striders' is a walking club filled with members who believe that both exercise and social activities are important to a Seniors' physical and emotional health. The Striders want to stay fit, but enjoy doing this at their own pace while enjoying the company of others. Striders walk from 1/2 mile to 2 miles at a time. They walk on the paths around the Patton State Hospital grounds varying according to individual members. The group is open to anyone interested in 'walking for health.' They meet Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 7:00 a.m. at the Highland Senior Center. This time was chosen to avoid smog and the heat. Anyone wishing to join this active group or just interested in more information may come to the dining room of the Highland Senior Center before 6:30 a.m. any Monday, Wednesday, or Friday morning. So put your best foot forward and come on out.
Operation Senior Claus 2011
By: Mike Sylva
(Christmas) is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart. ~Washington Irving’s The Sketch Book



For those who have read Washington Irving’s ‘Old Christmas,’ you can appreciate the impact he had on bringing the idyllic English Christmas stateside. He is also credited by Charles Dickens as an influence on his own Christmas writings, including the classic A Christmas Carol. Both works seek to bring back the idea of hospitality. Something we could use in this commercialized Christmas era.

One way you can help with this is to remember that in this “season of giving”, it’s not always the amount of presents, or giving for giving’s sake. It’s giving to make a difference to someone. Presents don’t have to be big or expensive. Sometimes the smallest thing can make the biggest difference in someone’s life. For some seniors it only takes 1 can of food, or $10 gift card to brighten the holidays of a senior this Christmas.

Operation Senior Claus is now coming to the home stretch and we need you to make it a success for us, but also a Merry Christmas for our seniors. We are hoping to help out over 100 seniors this years, but we need your help. We will be preparing Christmas dinners (turkey and all the trimmings), and little gift baskets for some worthy seniors. To do this we are still in need of money donations, gift cards to food markets, as well as hygiene products (i.e. toothbrushes, shampoo).

So please think about helping out those less fortunate and take the words of Ruth Cater Stapleton to heart. “Christmas is most truly Christmas when we celebrate it by giving the light of love to those who need it most.”